I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I intended to be. Douglas AdamsLife... is like a grapefruit. It's orange and squishy, and has a few pips in it, and some folks have half a one for breakfast. Douglas Adams

AUGUSTA, Georgia, April 9 (Reuters) - Tiger Woods stayed on track for a record 121st consecutive PGA Tour cut as Britain's Justin Rose preserved his lead in the U.S. Masters second round on Friday.

World number one Woods, who had struggled to an opening three-over 75, hit back with a three-under-par 69 to move into contention for the weekend.

The eight-times major winner, bidding for a third Masters title in four years, mixed five birdies with two bogeys to finish at level-par 144 on a sun-baked day at Augusta National.

That left him six adrift of the 23-year-old Rose, who still had three holes remaining.

Englishman Rose, who had set the pace on the weather-hit opening day with a superb five-under-par 67, offset a bogey-five at the 11th with birdies at the par-four fifth, the 155-yard 12th and the par-three 12th.

His playing partner Chris DiMarco, after an opening 69, had moved into a share of the lead at six under with a three-birdie run from the par-three sixth.

However the American double-bogeyed the par-five 13th and also dropped on 14 to slip back to three under with three to play.

SUCCESSIVE 70S

Tied for second at four-under 140 were Spaniard Jose Maria Olazabal, winner at Augusta in 1994 and 1999, and Germany's Alex Cejka, who carded a second successive 70.

Olazabal, who carded a first-round 71, vaulted up the leaderboard with an eagle at the par-five 13th and successive birdies on 14 and 15 before faltering with a bogey at the last.

"It must be something to do with this place," the 38-year-old Spaniard told reporters. "Every time I come here, I try to do my best and I seem to feel at peace with myself.

"It was a very quiet round until the 13th, where I hit two lovely shots and gave myself an eagle chance from around 40 feet. I made that putt, made another nice putt at 14 and hit a lovely shot on 15 with my third. That was my round."

South Korea's K.J. Choi, who equalled the tournament record with a blistering first nine of six-under 30, lost momentum after the turn on his way to a two-under 70.

That left the Korean rice farmer's son at three-under 141, and level with DiMarco.

Choi had birdied the second, third, fifth, seventh, eighth and ninth to equal the mark set by Johnny Miller in the third round in 1975 and matched by Greg Norman in the final round in 1988.

GATHERING GLOOM

Woods, one of 18 players still out on the course when play was suspended in gathering gloom on Thursday, took advantage of near-perfect conditions in the morning to complete the opening round tied for 44th.

By the time he signed for a second-round 69, he had improved to a share of 14th.

Defending champion Mike Weir, meanwhile, fought hard to make the cut, carding a two-under 70 that included five birdies and three bogeys.

The 33-year-old Canadian, the first left-hander to win a major in 40 years at Augusta last April, had stumbled to a first-round 79 but improved to five-over 149 to give himself an outside chance of playing over the weekend.

Virtually certain to miss the cut was Australia's Adam Scott, who last month became the youngest winner of The Players Championship, an event widely regarded as the 'fifth major'.

The 23-year-old, tipped as a future world number one by his compatriot and twice major winner Greg Norman, added a one-over 73 to an opening eight-over 80.

Mickelson actually had the lead alone for a bit yesterday, the first time he's ever done that in the Masters. This could be his Major, FINALLY. Els flubbed a couple near the end last night, but got a HUGE break with a 3rd opinion on "piled to be removed" debris, saving him at least 2 strokes. Tiger continues to self-desctruct, although he pulled out 2 birdies at the end to remain somewhat in contention.